Heather and Balds

Kent Mason, Photographer / Conservationist

Large expanses of heath barron are primarily scattered along the west side of the Allegheny front. These heath barrons are composed of low growing, acid tolerant bushes such as blueberry, huckleberry, azaleas, mountain laurel, rhododendron, trailing arbutus, mountain ash and bear oak. Grassy balds are found on the high wind swept areas, typically over 4,00 feet, where these generally treeless expanses contain mountain oak grass and other very low growing plants. This gallery povides a visual tour of this type of habitat in the WV highlands.